Zhang Zixuan smiled and said, “Xiaolong, this is because you have little knowledge. Taijiquan is a high-level martial art, and is not inferior to the Bagua Chain Palms.”

I thought for a while and decided to learn the Sixteen Ways Grappling Style! Why would I choose this? It’s very simple, because when you were fighting zombies, those things don’t feel pain. By learning this grappling style, coupled with my flame hand, the might would absolutely be extraordinary! With this hand to hand combat style, the zombies could burn faster!

It was also a good choice to deal with the living people. This grappling style could render the opponents’ resistance useless, while avoid hurting the opponents. If the Bagua Chain Palm was as powerful as seen on TV, it could perhaps be easier to kill people. However, by the government and society laws, killing people was a straight road to enter jail. So, the grappling style was the only choice…

At night, Zhang Zixuan held a feast and also invited the sixteen grapple-style master, Ma Dehua! He was a gray-haired old man and although he was already seventy-years-old, his step was very firm unlike a common seventy-year-old elderly. However, because I have acknowledged a teacher, I cannot study under another master, so I called him Senior Ma.

Ma Dehua also promised to teach me his grappling style. And tonight, I drank a little too many and it made me dizzy. After I called Mom and Xu Xiaoling, I then went to sleep.

I slept in one of Zhang Zixuan’s villa rooms.

****

The next morning around 3 AM, I woke up, rubbed my head, and put on my clothes to go out. Senior Ma would be waiting for at the entrance at 4 AM to teach me the Sixteen Ways Grappling Style.

Because there was still an hour away from the agreed time, I ran for a while, and then went back to the Zhang Zixuan’s villa’s courtyard. I faced the East direction and lit three sandalwood incenses inserted in a rice bowl, and then knelt on the ground. Then, I burned 3 Sun Charms and knocked my heads 3 times before I sat on the floor. I closed my eyes slightly and stretched my body straight with the tip of my tongue touching my palate and formed a ball gesture with hands in front of my pubic region, and began the three exhaling and inhaling pattern breathing practice for a while.

Having practiced this breathing practice for a while, I heard footsteps approach. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Ma Dehua.

I had to say that the name Ma Dehua was awesome and was equally domineering as my master’s name Niu Jintao! But I estimated that the difference in their skill was nowhere near each other.

He spoke with some appreciation and said, “Young man, you are very diligent, good.”

“Thank you for Senior Ma’s praise, Junior has always been getting up every morning at 3 AM to exercise, and it has become the habit of mine.

“Hmm, I see that you were just practicing a breathing technique. Is it for cultivating the internal strength?”

“I just practice it casually.”

The old man Ma glanced at the two rice bowls on the ground, and then spoke in a deep tone, “Second Young Master Zhang has cured my chronic aging illness and I owe him a great favor. But I have never had the opportunity to pay the favor back, and now he let me teach you the Sixteen Ways Grappling Style. In order to return his kindness, I will certainly train you to the fullest!”

“Thank you Senior.”

“You don’t have to be overly courteous,” said old man Ma. “I’ve seen your walking postures and I thought that your arms are swinging unnaturally, and if I’m not mistaken, you should have heavy things on your arms, don’t you?”

“Senior has good eyesight!” Having said that, I took off my gym suit and revealed the lead bars on my arms.

“Well, I will now begin to teach you this grappling style. Actually, this Sixteen Ways Grappling Style is very simple. But if you want to master it, you need a certain amount of time. The first thing you have to do is to fully understand this set of martial arts and imprint it into your instinct. Of course, I will assist you.” The old man Ma then said,” Now, try to attack me…”

****

The Sixteen Ways Grappling Style was even more powerful than I imagined, it was easy to learn and powerful. The old man Ma let me attack him with all my might. At first, I was afraid to fully use my strength, but later I found that even if I used my full strength, this old man Ma could subdue me in one move! This Sixteen Ways Grappling Style expert was really godly!

The old man Ma’s martial art was his family’s legacy. He said that he began practicing since he was 6, and now, has been practicing for more than 60 years. With his ample experiences, his grappling style has been altered with some unique remarks.

Because of my strong physique and fast instinctive reaction, it took only two hours to learn the eight grappling hand style. But I just only learned it and was far from mastering and proficiently executing it. It was even impossible to be compared with the old man Ma.

At 6 AM, Zhang Zixuan also came out and had some exercise. We had some chats about the sudden death in Qingtian City’s ‘plague outbreak’. His family had sent someone there but didn’t find any traces of viruses. Afterward, the plague outbreak inexplicably stopped.

I only smiled and simply told him about the things that happened in the Qingtian City. After hearing about the true events a couple days ago, he could only gape.

In the morning, Zhang Zixuan led me to the pharmacy, took some materials, and then entered the room at the back of the pharmacy. There were some small stoves on the lawn and Zhang Zixuan said that the stoves were to be used to extract the entire efficacy contained in the drugs.

He wanted to concoct the medicinal herbs for me personally!

These prominent family’s juniors were really not simple. They had a deep capital and were experts in buying people’s heart. While I made a moved expression, I was thinking, “Why would he want to recruit me?” In martial arts expertise, I couldn’t even beat a hand of old man Ma and I was completely clueless about firearms. What I did know was only exorcising evil spirits and demons, don’t tell me…

Although I wasn’t a genius, I wasn’t an idiot either. Zhang Zixuan certainly wouldn’t concoct medicines without any reasons for me, but he must have some intentions and interests in me.

Having been chatted for awhile, Zhang Zixuan gradually opened the subject and I finally understood his intention to attract me.

Zhang Zixuan said casually, “Younger Brother Xiaolong, I saw some interesting news a few days ago. It was said that a small village in Dongning City, became rich overnight. Then an archaeologist went to find out and discovered some children playing mud with a blue and white porcelain from the Ming Dynasty era, it greatly astonished that archaeologist. He then stayed there a few days later and found that almost every farmer had several pieces of antiques and asked where those antiques came from. They said that it was from their ancestors’ legacy. But this actually felt strange since it was only a poor and small village. Why would so many preserved and complete antiques would come out there? As the news spread out, many antique collectors, small traders, and prominent family rushed over there and wanted to uncover the veil of this mystery, hahaha. I also want to go there in the near future to have a look.”

The blue and white porcelain bowls from the Ming Dynasty era, and it’s very complete and preserved? It was needless to say that it was absolutely not handed down from the Ming Dynasty. Otherwise, after passing through several hundred years, those bowls would have long been broken! So according to my speculation, perhaps it was funerary objects and only in recent years have those things been excavated. That was why those bowls were still completely intact and well preserved.

Zhang Zixuan certainly had thought about this, so he recruited me. However, I wondered. Zhang Zixuan was a direct descendant of the Zhang Family with an endless massive amount of wealth to spend. But why would he have such a strong interest in tomb robbing?

Moreover, I had promised Miss Daiyu that I would no longer raid any tombs in the future.

But what Zhang Zixuan wanted from me was my Taoist priest ability. And if I didn’t comply with him, it was too brazenly disregarding his kindness. Alas, life was really full of difficult choices.

However, in order to treat my hidden injuries, it was unavoidable. So, I could only compromise for the time being and went to that place to see the situation first before I made further decision.

So I casually replied, “Since Big Brother Zhang is very interested in this matter, why don’t you go and find out?”

Zhang Zixuan pretended to sigh, “Oh, I do want to go, but I’m lacking an expert’s assistance. The last time with the Chen Family was really risky. I’m perfectly aware of an ancient tomb’s fearfulness. Powerful Yin qi in there can kill people. Even with a group of martial arts master, what’s the use?”

I ‘sincerely’ replied, “Big Brother Zhang, if you trust me, this younger brother is willing to accompany Big Brother Zhang and will do my utmost to protect Big Brother Zhang completely.”

“Great! Younger Brother Xiaolong really has camaraderie. Such being the case, we will soon go there quickly, so as to avoid other people coming first. What does Younger Brother Xiaolong think?”

After dinner, I was studying the Sixteen Ways of Grappling Style with Ma Dehua when my phone suddenly rang. I took it out and have a look. It was Xu Xiaoling, so I quickly picked up the phone, “Big Sis Xiaoling, do you miss me?”

“No, I have dialed the wrong number.”

She was intentionally teasing me, so I let out small laugh and replied, “Big Sis Xiaoling, nothing happened today, right?”

What I meant was, the triad’s members didn’t come to avenge. Xu Xiaoling was very smart, and she of course, knew what I meant, so she said, “It’s all right, I have the Big Sister at my side so I’m perfectly safe.”

“Nah, Big Sis Xiaoling, you must have an illusion. The most secure feeling you’ll have is when you’re by my side.”

“Well, don’t joke around. I want to talk some serious things with you. I have to travel for official business for a while. Maybe when you come back, I haven’t come back yet.

“Business trip? Where do you go? How long does it take?”

Xu Xiaoling said, “A while ago, many antiquities were presented in a small village where almost every farmer has it. Our curator also wants to send a few people to collect the antiques and bring it back to the museum.”

I was speechless for a short while, until Xu Xiaoling over there called several times, “Xiaolong? Xiaolong?”

I then asked, “Big Sis Xiaoling, do you believe in fate?”

“Why do you ask this?” Even if Xu Xiaoling was very smart, she could not guess why I suddenly asked this question.

“You answer me first.”

“Ah … I believe it a little bit.”

I laughed and said, “Big Sis Xiaoling, the place you should be visited was somewhere in Dongning City, a small village, right? What if I tell you that I will also go there in a few days, don’t you think that there is fate linked between us?”

“Ah? Really?” Xu Xiaoling was surprised and asked.

“Of course, why would I lie to you? When will you go?”

Xu Xiaoling said, “I’ll take the train tomorrow afternoon, and it should arrive in the Dongning City in the morning 4 days from now on. I estimate that I will arrive at that small village at noon 4 days later.”

“4 days from now? Big Sis Xiaoling, tomorrow afternoon, I’ll ask Big Sister to escort you to the train station. And after the train leaves, tell her to go home to protect my parents. We will then meet in the Dongning City. And since you have me by your side, you will be very safe.” I laughed a little and continued,” Well, I’ll call you again later, I am a little busy right now…”